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El Anatsui

born 1944

Ink Splash II 2012
© El Anatsui
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Biography

El Anatsui (; born 4 February 1944) is a Ghanaian sculptor active for much of his career in Nigeria. He has drawn particular international attention for his "bottle-top installations". These installations consist of thousands of aluminum pieces sourced from alcohol recycling stations and sewn together with copper wire, which are then transformed into metallic cloth-like wall sculptures. Such materials, while seemingly stiff and sturdy, are actually free and flexible, which often helps with manipulation when installing his sculptures.

Anatsui was included in the 2023 Time 100 list of the world's most influential people.

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Artworks

  • Ink Splash II

    El Anatsui
    2012

Features

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    Hyundai Commission: El Anatsui: Behind the Red Moon

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